breach

noun

/briːtʃ/

(formal)Idioms

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[countable, uncountable] breach of something a failure to do something that must be done by law
- a breach of contract/copyright/warranty
- They are in breach of Article 119.
- (British English) (a) breach of the peace (= the crime of behaving in a noisy or violent way in public)
- Selling goods constituted a breach of regulation 10B.
Extra Examples
- He was sued for breach of contract.
- The court's decision is in breach of the European Convention on human rights.
- This action is in breach of Article 119 of the Constitution.
Topics Crime and punishmentc1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- clear
- fundamental
- grave
- …
verb + breach
- constitute
- commit
- remedy
- …
preposition
- in breach of
- breach of
phrases
- a breach of confidence
- a breach of trust
- (a) breach of confidentiality
- …
See full entry
[countable, uncountable] breach of something an action that breaks an agreement to behave in a particular way
- a breach of confidence/trust
- a breach of security (= when something that is normally protected is no longer secure)
Extra Examples
- Such actions constitute a breach of confidentiality.
- a minor breach of discipline
- He refused to shake hands, in deliberate breach of etiquette.
Topics Discussion and agreementc1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- clear
- fundamental
- grave
- …
verb + breach
- constitute
- commit
- remedy
- …
preposition
- in breach of
- breach of
phrases
- a breach of confidence
- a breach of trust
- (a) breach of confidentiality
- …
See full entry
[countable] a break in a relationship between people or countries
- The disagreement caused a serious breach in Franco-German relations.
Extra Examples
- She left home following the breach with her family.
- What caused the breach between the two brothers?
- What had caused this sudden breach between father and son?
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verb + breach
- cause
- lead to
- heal
- …
preposition
- breach between
- breach with
See full entry
[countable] an opening that is created during a military attack or by strong winds or seas
- They escaped through a breach in the wire fence.
- A breach in the mountain wall permits warm sea air to penetrate inland.
- The mortars blew a large breach in the castle walls.
Topics War and conflictc2

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French breche, ultimately of Germanic origin; related to break.

Idioms

step into the breach

to do somebody’s job or work when they are suddenly or unexpectedly unable to do it
- She stepped into the breach caused by Stella's illness.

breach

verb

/briːtʃ/

(formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they breach	/briːtʃ/ /briːtʃ/
he / she / it breaches	/ˈbriːtʃɪz/ /ˈbriːtʃɪz/
past simple breached	/briːtʃt/ /briːtʃt/
past participle breached	/briːtʃt/ /briːtʃt/
-ing form breaching	/ˈbriːtʃɪŋ/ /ˈbriːtʃɪŋ/

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breach something to not keep to an agreement or not keep a promise synonym break
- The government is accused of breaching the terms of the treaty.
- A doctor was sacked for allegedly breaching patient confidentiality.
- The proposed changes breached trade union rules.
Topics Discussion and agreementc1, Crime and punishmentc1
breach something to make a hole in a wall, fence, etc. so that somebody/something can go through it
- The dam had been breached.
- Demonstrators breached police lines around the embassy.
Topics War and conflictc2

Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French breche, ultimately of Germanic origin; related to break.